Safety switch box



H. G. EAXTER SAFETY SWITCH BOX Filed April 9 1920 1 INVENTOR fiz m/a Barter fl .40 I 4 12 e4 f ATTORNEY WBTNESSES:

Patented Dec. 30, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

HAROLD G. BAXTEB, 0F BA'LDVHN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO WESTINGHOUSE ELEC- TRIG & MANUFACTURING COMPANY,

A CORPORATION or rEmIsYLvAnrn.

SAFETY SWITCH BUX.

Application filed April 9, 1920. Serial No. 372,507.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HAROLD G. BAXTER, a subject of the King of Great Britain, and a resident of Baldwin, in the county of Nassau and State of New York, have invented a new and-useful Improvement in Safety Switch Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to safety switch boxes and particularly to reversible safety switch boxes.

.One object of my invention is to provide a safety switch box that shall be efiective, irrespective of the connection-of the same to the circuit.

Another object of my invention is to provide a device. of the above indicated character that shall have a relatively inexpensive interlocking device to preclude exposing the fuses when the same are energize In practicing my invention, ll provide a base or casing having an outwardly extending portion communicating therewith to constitute a fuse compartment. A movable member which serves as a barrier is disposed in the fuse compartment and has a fuse mounted on one side thereof and switch members mounted on the other side thereof for co-operating with stationary switch jaws that are mounted in the base member. A

handle is provided for actuating the movable member, and a slidable door is provided in the fuse compartment. A pin, which is mounted on the handle, extends through an opening in the door and thus prevents the door being opened until the handle has been so withdrawm as to disconnect the fuses. Since the fuses are entirely disconnected from the circuit, it is immaterial in which direction the box is connected to the circuit and, thus, abso ute safety is ensured in renewing the fuses whenever the door to the fuse compartment can be opened. Lips are provided on the movable member which cooperate with projections or lips on the door when the door is open to preclude actuating the movable member under this'condition.

- similar to the view shown in Fig. 1, illustrating the position of the fuses when the same are de-energized, and Fig. 4 is a View, taken along the line IVIV of Fig. 3.

'A casing or receptacle 1, of substantially rectangular shape, has a cover 2 which has projections 3 thereon constituting a casing or receptacle 4 that communicates with the easing 1. A baseboard 5 is mounted on the cas- 'ing 1 and is provided with jaw members 6 to which the incoming and outgoing conductors (not shown) are connected. The receptacle 4 comprises a cover 7 having a slidable door 8 in the lower portion thereof. A slidable member 9, constituting a barrier between the casing 1 and the receptacle 4, has a. fuse block 10 mounted thereon.

'lihe fuse block 10 is provided for receiving fuses 11 at one side thereof and switch members 12 at the other side thereof that engage the jaw member 6 and which constitute the terminals of the fuses 11. The member 9 is provided with pins 13 which extend through openings or slots 14 in the walls 3 and are operatively connected to a handle member 15 of substantially U-shape. A pin 16 is mounted on the member 15 and extends through an opening 17 in the door 8 when the door and member 9 are in their closed positions. 'I.AipS 23 are provided on the member 9 that are disposed between lips 24 on the door 8 and the main portion of the door a circuit, the handle member 15 is pulled outwardly and thus causes'the member 9 to move outwardly by reason of the pin 13 being actuated by the member 15 to disengage the switch members 6 and 12 to so move'the pin 16 that the same shall occupy the position shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, wherein it is disengaged from the hole 17 to permit the door 8 to be slid to its open position. This exposes the fuses 11 through the opening 18 that is normally closed by the door 8. With a device of this type, the fuses are deenergized whenever the door 8 is open and thus, irrespective of how the device is connected to the circuit, it is safe to renew the fuses whenever the same are accessible through the opening 18. The door 8 is provided with a clip 19 for the reception of a seal 20, or other sealing device, to preclude the opening of the door when the same is desirable. A handle 21 is provided for sliding the door upwardly, and a knob 22 is provided for actuating the member 15. Since the lips 24 embrace the lips 23 only when the door is open, it will be understood that it is impossible to engage the switch members 6 and 12 so long as the dooris open and the fuses exposed.

My invention is not limited to the specific details illustrated, as it may be variously modified without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A safety switch box comprising a base member constituting an enclosed switch compartment, switch-jaw members in the switch compartment, an enclosed receptacle mount-- ed on the base member, a relatively movable member therein, a fuse mounted on one side of the movable member and switch members on the other side to oo-operate with the switch-jaw members, a slidable door for the enclosed receptacle, a reciprocating handle for actuating the movable member and means actuated by said handle for maintaining the door closed so long as the switch parts are in engagement.

2. A safety switch box comprisinga base member constituting an enclosed switch compartment, switch-j aw members in the switch compartment, an enclosed receptacle mounted on the base member, a movable member therein, a fuse mounted on one side of the movable member and switch members on the other side to co-operate with the switchjaw members, a slidable door for the enclosed receptacle, a reciprocating handle for actuating the movable member,'and a pin secured to the handle for engaging the door to maintain the same closed under predetermined conditions;

3. A safety switch box comprising a base compartment, an enclosed receptacle mounted thereon, a slidable member in the receptacle, a fuse mounted on one side of the slidable member, a switch member mounted on the other side thereof, a handle member of U-shape for actuating the slidable member, a slidable door in the receptacle having a small opening therein, and a pin mounted on the handle member for registering with the opening when the switch is closed.

4. A safety switch box comprising a base compartment, an enclosed receptacle mounted thereon, a slidable member in the receptacle having lips therein, a fuse mounted on one side of the slidable member, a switch member mounted onthe other .side thereof, a handle member of U-shape disposed around the receptacle, means for connecting the handle member to the movable member, a slidable door in the receptacle having a small opening therein and a lip at each side thereof, and a pin mounted on the handle member adapted to be so disposed in the opening in the door as to preclude movement of the door when the fuse is energized, said lips. co-operating to preclude movement of the slidable member when the door is open. r

5. A safety switch box comprising a base compartment, an enclosed receptacle mounted thereon, a slidable member in the receptacle having projections thereon, a fuse mounted on one side of the slidable member, a switch member mounted on the other side thereof, a handle member of U-shape disposed around the receptacle, means for connecting the handle member to the movable member, a slidable door in the receptacle having a small opening therein and projections thereon, and a pin mounted on the handle member and adapted to be so disposed in the opening in the door as to preclude movement of the door under predetermined conditions, said projections co-opcrating to preclude movement of the slidable member under other predetermined conditions.

6. A safety switch box comprising a base receptacle, an enclosed casing communicating therewith, a barrier member therein, a handle for sliding the barrier member, switch-jaw members mounted in the base receptacle, a fuse mounted on one side of the barrier member, switch members for engaging the jaw members constituting the terminals of the fuse, a door for the enclosed casing having a small opening therein and a pin mounted on the handle for engaging the opening in the door, under predetermined conditions.

7. A safety switch box comprising a base member constituting a switch compartment, switch members therein, an enclosed receptacle thereon constituting a fuse compartment and having an opening therein, a fuse in the receptacle movable toward the said opening to facilitate the removal of the fuse, a sliding door for closing the opening in the fuse compartment and means for maintaining the door in its closed position so long as the fuse is operatively connected to the switch.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this thirteenth day of March 1920.

HAROLD G. BAXTER. 

